A proposal to build a concrete ramp at the end of East/West Resort Road where it meets Burt Lake has been put on hold by the Cheboygan County Road Commission, according to road commission managing director Mike Roper. An update on the issue was provided recently at a special meeting of The Tuscarora Township Board of Trustees. Roper said the county has been working with Tuscarora Township exploring the possibility of building a concrete ramp at the site where currently there is a public access gravel ramp going into the water. Roper said the existing ramp is steep and narrow, subject to erosion and is only accessible with a four-wheel drive vehicle and a lightweight watercraft. Some kayakers also launch from the site, which at the end of the road is located in a residential area. A permit from the Department of Environmental Quality, DEQ, would be required to install a concrete ramp which would allow bigger and heavier boats to be launched. Roper said the county has withdrawn its request for a permit with the DEQ in order to study the issue further. A concrete ramp, he explained, would require dredging at the point of entry and possible further dredging out into the channel. Roper said East/West Resort Road is a county road, but the township would pay for the improvements to the ramp. He said the cost and permit procedure for dredging is an obstacle to building the concrete ramp. Roper said the county would support improving the existing site by adding some gravel, working with the erosion problem and possibly clearing a few small trees. He said it would improve the launch for kayakers and other paddlers as well as for small boats.